Roark's First Love
by ibelieveinthegreenlight
Summary: A story about Roark's first real love. Rated T  just in case
1. The Kiss

"Hey, Roark!" Marissa cried from a far off distance of the coal mine where Roark volunteered his spare time away from the Pokemon gym. Roark set down his pick ax down by the mining cart full of dirt and rock that he dug up that day when he finished battling in his gym. He wiped some sweat from his mining helmet and waved at his friend. She smiled and waved back to him running faster with every step. The roads to Oreburgh City were dusty and dingy when anyone ran on them, but Marissa didn't pay any attention to the dust that was blowing by her. Roark had walked slowly to her. She slowed down so she wouldn't run directly into him. "Hey, Roark. Did anyone beat you today?"

Marissa asked that question everyday. She always knew the answer since no one in Oreburgh City was as strong as Roark and his Geodude, but it never stopped her from asking everyday. "Nope, no one beat me today. I guess Geodude and I are still the kings of this town." He turned to the mind to see his Geodude still mining and digging for more coal. Marissa laughed at Roark's wit and humor. He was always so full of himself in a strange way that it made him look funny. She knew he was joking, most of the time.

"Well, I guess that I'll have to step up my game if I'm going to be the best Pokemon trainer ever." she said with a big smile. "Me and my Squirtle have been training really hard. I might just have to up my game." Marissa picked up her Squirtle and rubbed his head. Squirtle waved his arms up and down as a sign of happiness. He has worked hard for his master all day and now he was getting attention. Roark walked over to her and Squirtle and pet him on the head too. "Awww. I think he likes you." Marissa said when Roark pet him. He laughed at Squirtle's happiness and he picked up his hat.

"Marissa. I'm going to miss you when you leave. You're one of my best friends you know." Geodude waddled over to Marissa and began to rub her leg. "Even MY Pokemon don't want you to leave." he said with a smile and a thumbs up. Soon Onix and Cranidos all joined in on the group hug with Marissa and Geodude. Squirtle hugged too. He was friends with all of Roark's Pokemon since the day he was hatched form his egg. Roark and Marissa saved him from and avalanche in the coal mine when he was an egg. When he hatched, they were the first thing he saw, so he was attached to both of them. Roark let Marissa keep him because he wasn't allowed to keep a Water Pokemon in a Rock Pokemon Gym. Ever since them, she was attache to Pokemon and has caught and trained many upon many of types of Pokemon, but Water was always her favorite type.

"Roark, I'm not leaving forever, just for a few months. I'll be back and we can talk about all the badges I've won." Marissa was drifting off again into her fantasy about beating the Elite Four. Ever since she and Roark were young, they had dreams of leaving Oreburgh City and going down to Victory Road. They had dreams of beating the Elite Four and their leader Cynthia some day, and for Marissa, her journey was starting sooner then she thought. "I'm going to beat the Elite Four. Me and Squirtle will show them no mercy. We'll return heroes." Roark crouched down to Geodude and Squirtle and pat them both on the heads. Squirtle began to laugh and Geodude held completely still.

"I'll have to admit, I'll miss having Squirtle around." Roark picked him up and cradled the little blue creature. Squirtle wiggled around a little, but seemed to be enjoying the attention.

"Oh, by the way, My mom wanted to know if you would like to say over again for dinner." Marissa said. "She feels that we all should spend the rest of the time we have hanging out. She's even offering you the couch in the living room." She smiled at Roark. He smiled back at the sight of his best friend's goofy grin. She always had a way of making him feel welcome in her home. Weather it was her smile or cheerful attitude, he was always having a good time with Marissa. Roark thought back to when they were younger. He was just a lad when she moved into town, just right across the street (or dirt road) of the Oreburgh City Gym. Roark was outside the building with his Onix training to become stronger. He remembers because that was the day he had gotten Onix from his father. Not to long after that, a moving van had pulled up to the house's driveway right across the street. A young women and a little girl, who appeared to be Roark's age had both stepped out of the truck. The girl was just a little bit shorter with long dark brown curly hair. She was wearing a light blue hat with a sailor suit dress, carrying a small blue backpack. She didn't look too happy at all. She looked like she was about to cry.

_"Don't be sad, Marissa." _he mother had said to her when she stepped out of the house and saw her little girl cry. _"I know that you miss your friends back in Pastoria City, but I'm sure that you'll make many more friends here."_ The girl shook her head no. She kept on crying.

Roark had walked into the gym to find his father. _"Dad, Guess what?"_ he said almost pulling his father's pants down from jerking so hard. _"A new girl and her Mommy has just moved in across the street. I think we should go say 'hi' to them."_ Roark looked t his dad who was in a bad mood. Roark didn't even wait for an answer. He pulled his father's arm and the two of them walked right across the street to introduce themselves to the new people in town.

_"Hi, My name is Roark." _he said to Marissa who was still crying. She looked over at her mother who was getting to know Roark's father from the gym across the street. Roark stuck his had out to Marissa who was trying not to be scared. He mother had looked over to her and nodded her head as a sigh of approval

_ "I'm Marissa."_ she finally said and shook his hand. Ever since that day, Marissa and Roark have been best friends.

"Sure. I'll come over." he said to her. Marissa was still hugging Onix who refused to part from his long time friend. Marissa wasn't even his owner, but he still felt safe with her as much as he did with Roark. She tried to squeeze out out of Onix's tight hug, but he was so strong , that Roark had to call his Pokemon back to free Marissa from his grasp.

-Marissa's Home-

"Wow Mrs. Welsh, You really out done yourself this time." Roark said to Marissa's mom about her cooking. Tonight she had prepared a pot roast with steamed carrots and a serving of baked potatoes and a freshly washed salad, dressing on the side. Mrs. Welsh always had a thing for eating healthy without leaving behind taste, so every time Roark came over for dinner, we knew what kind of treat he was in for.

"Oh, this? This was something I cooked special for Marissa. Today she and Squirtle have been practicing all day in the woods to get as good as you and Onix are." Marissa blushed and lowered her head. She always did when her mother bragged about her. "She's been working really hard for weeks to prepare for her trip through the Sinnoh Region. She's been so excited that she sometimes falls asleep looking at all the places she has marked on her map."

"Mom, Please. I don't think this is appropriate dinner conversation." Marissa said in a embarrassed manner. She tried to stop blushing, but with all her mother was speaking about, it was hard to stop.

"Oh, Why are you worried about what Roark thinks? You practically begged me to let him come over here, and you two have been friends for a long time."

Marissa lowered her head at what her mother just said. Roark turned his head to Marissa who was too embarrassed to speak. They he looked away and began to laugh. Marissa didn't think of what would happen between her and Roark if her mother had said anything, but she didn't wish to stick around and find out. She turned her head and stood up. "I'm going to step out on the porch for a little bit. I need some air."

Roark stayed there for a moment and looked over at Mrs. Welsh, who nodded him to go after her and talk to her as if she gave a wave of approval. He then got up, walked over to the door, and followed after her.

"Hey, Marissa. What's the matter?" he said from behind her shutting the door. He never seen Marissa like this before. She has not been this sad since that day he first met her. Roark walked closer to her. He tried to turn her toward him but she jerked away every time. She didn't want him to see her like this. Marissa was way too upset for even her best friend. "Marissa, if you're angry about what your mom said, don't be. She was just trying to have some fun..."

"Well, she shouldn't be telling you things that she promised not to talk about." Marissa was stern when she was mad. Roark knew that, but he never seen it with his own two eyes before.

"Marissa." he started "Why didn't you want me to know that it was you who invited me over and not your mom? It's not that big of a deal..."

"It's a VERY big deal!" she screamed. Marissa began to cry. This was something she hasn't done sine the day she met Roark. He has never seen her cry since. This meant that to her, this was something very important. "I didn't want my mom to let you know I like you." she said almost hysterical "I wasn't sure if I should tell you." Roark paused in his tracks.

_"Even if she does like me like that, doesn't mean she wants a relationship with me." _Roark always said to himself. _"Plus, why would she like me? I'm dusty and dirty. What she wants is probably out there somewhere else."_ Roark has told himself that for many years because he didn't want to ruin his friendship with Marissa. He didn't have that many friends( He didn't have that many people in general) who knew what it was like to have a parent leave him when he was young. With Marissa, she knew very well. He dad left her when she was just a baby, as did Roark's mom. She was the only person that he could talk to about the situation.

"Roark, I'm so..."Marissa was interrupted by Roark. To be even more correct, he kissed her in mid sentence. She didn't pull away, or push him away. She kissed him back and closed her eyes. Roark wrapped his arms around her torso while Marissa wrapped her arms around his neck. She didn't mind the dirt on his face from working in the mines. She was too use to that to let it bother her. Marissa pulled back from his lips but not from his hold. "I'm so sorry. I should have told you." She said and began to smile.

"Don't be." Roark said to her. "I did the same thing." he chuckled and kissed Marissa again. He glanced out of the corner of his eye to see Mrs. Welsh looking through the patio window through the curtain. She gave Roark a 'thumbs up' as a sign of congratulations. (She gives a lot of signs Just so you know) Roark gave her one a back then continued to hold Marissa as the moon kept shining down on the two of them.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Marissa said as she was walking Roark out passed her picket fence gate. They kissed once more as if to make sure they would.

"You can count on it." he said while he walked out the fence and running like a moron through the streets of Oreburgh to let everyone know what had just happened to him.


	2. Pancakes and OJ

*Marissa's Point of View*

I woke up to the smell of maple syrup and steamed butter smelling up my room. I took in one big whiff and I instantly knew what the occasion was. Mom only made pancakes on special occasions like Birthdays, Holidays, or when something really good has happened. After last night, I think it beats birthdays and holidays in a heartbeat. I rose from my bed slowly and proceeded not at any faster pace to my mirror. I looked in to examine myself from what had taken place the night before. My hair was messy and my cheeks were still glowing. I looked out of place while wearing my long blue pajamas in my sea blue room.

I changed quickly into my long sleeve sailor dress that mom had bought me for my thirteenth birthday not even a year ago. I remember because she told my I'd look out of place wearing a Pastoria City dress, but I told my mother I didn't care what people thought, and I must support my home city. All my sailor dresses were blue. Some were dark blue, some were light blue, and some were shades in between, but as long as they were blue, it didn't bother me.

I looked over at my calendar and realized that I needed to check off yesterday from it. My countdown was still going. I walked over to it and checked off another day. "Two weeks." I said to myself. Only two more weeks in Oreburgh City and I'm off to get my other seven badges.

It's been so long ago that my mom had told my that as soon as I had enough Pokemon and a set date, I was allowed to set of and get my badges. I had never fought any real gym leaders before, well, not officially. When Roark and I battle, we battle to see how much our Pokemon and uphold in a battle, I have not won or lost against him, more liked tied. Ever since that day, I have been excited to go out and see the rest of the region. I've never been as far of south as Pastoria City, and that's not so far. I've been visited by Gym Leader Wade in Pastoria City sometimes, and he showed me what a true Pokemon trainer must do in order to be the best, but that was a long time ago when I was just a little kid. Wade still calls me up every now and then to check on the Starmie he gave me as a going away present. Sometimes I ask about my neighbor, Jordan, who was also Wade's little cousin. He told me last time that Jordan has collected five badges and is on his way to six. Sometimes I did wonder, if I had stayed in Pastoria, If that would have been me collecting those badges and not Jordan.

I walked out of my room a little bit faster (That was an understatement) then what I was when I first woke up, Mom had already fixed out plates and she was sitting there at the table waiting for me to wake up like she always does. When she and my father were still married, he always waited for her to wake up or come to the table before he started eating. He never once asked her to come to the table. He just sat there, waiting. My mom still does that with me all the time. I say it's the most ridicules thing In the world, but in my head, I think it's one of the the sweetest things she does for me. I sat down and asked her how long she waited this time. She answered like she always does "Not very long."

We pass around the butter and maple syrup. She hands me the strawberry jelly and I spoon some on my pancakes. She says I get the jelly on pancakes from my dad, but what do I now. We try to start a conversation laughing. "So, What about you and Roark?" She asked me nudging my elbow. I look up at her from my pancakes. My eyes were wider then my palms. I tried to swallow my food before I spoke, but I was in too much of a shock that it was hard for me to do so.

"How do you know about that?" I ask trying no to scream. The pancakes stuck in my throat didn't help very much at the moment. I grabbed my glass of OJ (Orange Juice. I've called it OJ Since I was little and I couldn't say 'orange' right. I was 6 Get Over It.) and tried to drink some of it, it helped me a little. My throat still had some pancakes in it, but not so much now.

"You don't think I didn't know, Did you? What kind of mother would I be if I didn't know what was going on between you and Roark?" She laughed and took a sip of her coffee. "So, how was it? Was it head spinning?"

I have never seen my mother act this way to me before. She's been single for as long as I remember, that it's kinda strange to see her like this. She reminded me of a goofy teenage girl. It was kinda funny.

"Well, I guess if you felt like you were about to shoot up in the sky and explode like a firework like it was the Forth of July." I said. She laughed at the way I described it and we both talked back and forth about what this means for her and me.

"Pretty soon you'll be married and you'll move out and go live with Roark and never come back and visit your dear old mom." She turned away in a fake crying motion and then laughed. She turned back and hugged me. She got up from the table carrying her dirty dishes to the kitchen sink. I took mine to the sink and left my glass of OJ on the table. Her pancakes always made me full to finish my OJ at the table. She began to do some of the dishes when the telephone began to ring. She quickly dried her hands and answered it. I walked over to to couch and pulled the remote from between the cushions and turned on the television. I flipped to one of my favorite channels that talked about Pokemon. I watched the people who entered their Pokemon in those contests perform amazing tricks and stunts and wondered how they made it look so easy. I pulled My Poke-Ball from my dress pocket and called out my Squirtle. He sat on the couch watching the show with me when my mom walked into the room with the telephone in her hands. "Speak of the devil, and he calls." she said to me, handing me the phone. I already had a hunch as to who it was.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Marissa. What ch'a doing?"

Roark has never called me by my name on the phone before. It was always dude, bro , and man. I guess he did mean what he did last night.

"Right now, I'm watching the Pokemon channel. They're having a big Pokemon contest in Jubilife city. Some girl named Luna and her Kadabra are in first place and they are smoking the contest." My Squirtle has curled up beside me on the couch with an apple. He seemed really interested in who was winning. He munched on his apple and chewed really loud while I was talking like he always did.

"I'm watching it too. Man, she's good. I think I could beat her though with my Onix though."

Now he calls me 'Man'

"Hey Marissa, when the show's over, do you wanna take a walk with me through Route 203? We could even go through Jubilife a little bit, if you want to."

I looked back at my mom who was listening in through the kitchen. She looked at me and smiled like she always did. She seemed like she already knew what I was going to ask her, because she nodded her head and said that I could go. I smiled back at her and mouthed a 'Thank You.' then turned back around to talk on the phone.

"I'd love to go." I said and I started to smile. Roark's response was a 'Great, I'll pick you up in thirty minutes.' and then he hung up. I laughed and set the phone down by the couch where Squirtle sniffed it and walked over to me. He started jumping around on the couch saying something. I think he wanted to go. "No Squirtle. You can't go." I said when my mom came over and picked him up. Squirtle squirmed a little, but then calmed down after he knew who it was.

"I'll take care of him. You go on ahead and get ready after you drink your orange juice." I nodded at my mom and thanked her for being the best mom ever. Sometimes she's so cool, she's like a big sister to me more then a mother. I love her a lot. I drank my orange juice slowly as I was watching Luna and her Kadabra preform their tricks in front of all those people. I wondered how much time she spent practicing with her Pokemon to make them good enough to win the first place. The MC walked up the he with a microphone and asked her if she had anything to say to her fans.

_ "Well, I'd like to thank them for being there for me. If they weren't, I'd never be as good, but I'd like to thank my mom and my friends the most. They were with me since I was a little girl in Veilstone city and my Kadabra was an Abra. They were cheering me on from the very beginning of my training and now I've become so strong, so now It's their turn. Thank you. All of you." _

When I was walking out to the living room again. I thought about what Luna had said to her parents and friends. She was not a selfish trainer. She was a kind trainer. She did it because she loves her Pokemon and not for the fame. I looked over at my mom who was still doing the dishes. I walked up behind her and gave her a big hug.

"What's this for?" she asked me and smiled.

"It's for everything you do for me. I love you mom." A knock on the door had came. Roark had kept his promise at coming in a half an hour and I tried to pull away, but before I could, my mom pulled me back for one quick thing.

"I love you too sweetie, no go off and have some fun."


End file.
